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Severe Weather (Elderly People)

Answer

There are a number of measures in place to protect the elderly from the effects of severe winter weather. The warm homes scheme offers a range of heating and insulation measures to make homes more energy efficient and help save on fuel bills. Since it began in 2001, the warm homes scheme has assisted over 25,000 vulnerable households in the private sector and continues to make a major contribution towards improving the quality of life of those in fuel poverty. To strengthen our commitment to warm homes, funding for the scheme has increased from just under £3 million in 2001 to just under £15 million in the current financial year and despite the many pressures on public funding the target of 8,250 participants each year continues to be achieved.Those who live in public sector homes are also supported by the Housing Executive's maintenance and improvements programmes which include measures to address fuel poverty.Winter fuel payments are available to people aged 60 or over who are ordinarily resident in Northern Ireland. These payments of £200 are paid to all eligible households. Households which include people aged 80 or over can receive an extra payment of £100. During the winter 2004/05, 230,553 households in Northern Ireland benefited from winter fuel payments amounting to £49.7 million.In addition cold weather payments provide extra help towards heating costs for the poorest and most vulnerable members of our society, including pensioners receiving pension credit, in periods of exceptionally cold weather.The cold weather payment is made automatically to people awarded pension credit when the average temperature is recorded as, or forecast to be, 0 degrees Celsius or below over seven consecutive days at the weather station linked to the customer's postcode. Savings are not taken into account and Cold Weather Payments are paid in addition to winter fuel payments.This year the Government are also making Age-Related Payments to help pensioners with their rates bills or other living expenses. People aged 65 or over and not in receipt of the guarantee credit element of pension credit, could receive £200 per household to help with rates bills. Pensioners are free to use it towards heating costs. People aged 70 or over and in receipt of the guarantee credit element of pension credit could receive 50 to help with their living expenses such as heating bills. Age-Related Payments will be paid together with winter fuel payments.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

34445; 440 c1080-1W;440 c1080-1W

Session

2005-06

Subjects

Cold weather payments Death Expenditure Heating Northern Ireland Older people Weather Winter fuel payment

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk